The Darkness of Confusion
by AhiFlame
Summary: Jack is captured and his sanity is on the line. He is slowly beginning to believe that he betrayed his friends...or is it the other way around? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

The Darkness of Confusion - Chapter 1  
  
A dim yellowish light flickered off the damp, dreary, moss-covered walls of the prison. The shadows and light fought each other in an epic battle, neither seeming to find victory for any extended period of time. Moonlight joined the fray, streaming with thin, pale fingers through the barred iron window of one of the cells. A lone silhouette, practically hidden in the shadows in the corner of the windowed cell, shifted slightly.  
It was a man in the middle of his life, leaning back against the bars of the prison. He wore the casual attire of a sailor, but not just any sailor; a pirate. With one knee propped up in the air, and the other leg stretched out before him in a façade of relaxation, he tapped his fingers languidly on his stomach. Reaching up with his unoccupied hand, the prisoner readjusted the worn leather hat pulled down over his kohl-rimmed eyes. The beads strung through his hair clattered softly, occasionally reflecting the flickering candlelight as the captive man returned his hand to rest at his side.  
'Well, this is another lovely situation I've gotten meself int'. Of course, this time is a bit of a different scenario, as it were. However, s'nothin' I can't git outta. I am Captain Jack Sparrow, after all.'  
'Are you sure?'  
The man started, sitting up from the iron bars and shoving his hat to sit properly atop his head. "What?"  
A guard who was standing outside the cell glanced in at the pirate with a skeptical look. Then, when the man didn't say anything more, the guard turned his attention back to his duty, assuming his prisoner was drunk.  
'Are you so sure about that?'  
The pirate took in a sharp gasp, realizing the voice resided in his head. 'Of course I'm sure.'  
'Oh, but you're not. I can sense your fear. You're afraid.'  
'Am not! I can git outta this just as easy as I did last time!'  
'But last time you had help . . .'  
'Will . . .'  
'Yes. However, where's your friend now?'  
'I can still git outta this by me onesies!'  
'Uh-huh.'  
The other voice's disbelieving tone sent chills of fear down Jack's spine, tendrils which bound together, creating an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.  
'I don't think you can, Jack-'  
'Captain Jack Sparrow.'  
'Captain? Where's your ship? Your crew? Your friends?'  
Jack's heart clenched in his chest. 'They're . . . they're-'  
'Gone? Yes, gone. And in the worst possible way at that.'  
'What do you mean? None o' them are dead . . .'  
'I mean that they're no longer your allies. The whole world is against you Jack Sparrow.'  
'Tha's not true! They're still me companions! Will, Gibbs, Elizabeth, Ana-Maria-none o' them would give up on me!'  
'Oh, but they have. And it's about time you do too.'  
'What do ye mean by tha'? Have ye done something t' 'em?!'  
After he had thought the last, Jack had to fight off a blush of stupidity. Why was he listening to this nameless voice? This figment of his imagination?  
'Of course not, Jack. It's more a question of what you've done to them.'  
'WHAT?! I've not lifted a finger 'gainst 'em!'  
'Be that as it may, you've destroyed their trust in you.'  
'How?'  
'You were yourself. You were your black-hearted, lying, thieving self, Jack. You drove them away and this time there'll be no one to save you from the gallows.'  
'What could I have done tha' would drive me crew an' friends away?'  
'The most heinous of crimes.'  
'Which is . . . ?'  
'You betrayed them.'  
  
TBC . . .  
  
[a/n: Please review.] 


	2. Chapter 2

The Darkness of Confusion - Chapter 2  
  
Jack's blood ran cold in his veins at this newest accusation. 'Did not.'  
The voice seemed to sense his fear, pressing further as he tried quickly to recover. 'Oh, but you did. You left your crew to fend for themselves just when they needed you most.'  
'What're ye talkin' 'bout?'  
'You know what I mean, Jack. Don't play coy with me.'  
'But they said it were fine-tha' they didn' need me fer awhile-'  
'The only reason they said that was because you ORDERED them away.'  
'They didn't 'ave t' listen! They've disobeyed th' code 'fore; they coulda done it 'gain!'  
'Believe what you will, but I speak the truth.'  
Jack sat back against the iron bars once more, silently pondering the voice's words. Strands of doubt and confusion began to thread themselves into a complex weave over his mind.  
'And Will and Elizabeth, what a shame it is.'  
'What 'bout them?'  
'They look down so harshly upon your exploits. On many an occasion they have mentioned how much they loathe having helped you escape the noose three years ago.'  
'S'not true. Sure the boy can be straight-laced, but not t' the point o' wantin' 'is friend dead!'  
'Is that really what you think?'  
'No-I mean, yes! They wouldn' betray me!'  
The voice didn't answer right away, and Jack thought for a moment that he had finally managed to silence it. As far as he was concerned, he had won this argument, and that blasted voice should have nothing left to say. But it found something... something which cut the imprisoned pirate to the quick.  
'That's what you thought about Barbossa and your old crew, isn't it?'  
'Tha' were different!' he protested immediately.  
'Or so you'd like to think.'  
'Stop it!'  
'You want to be deprived of the truth? That's all it is, you know. Truth. Plain and simple fact.'  
Jack squeezed his eyes shut in a futile attempt to block out the relentless words that haunted him. 'Stop it!' he shouted again in his mind.  
'Face it Jack, you're afraid. Afraid I might be right.'  
'No!'  
'Face the truth, Jack.'  
'No! Leave me be!'  
'Jack.'  
"Stop it!" Jack screamed, sitting up abruptly.  
The guard, who appeared to have just woken due to Jack's outburst, glared in at the prisoner. "Quiet," he menaced.  
'Jack, don't fight the truth. They've all abandoned you for one reason or another.'  
"No! S'not true! They wouldn't do that!" Jack snapped aloud, more to convince himself than the cruel voice.  
"Not another word from you," the guard said, standing up from his chair and reaching for his musket, but Jack hadn't heard a thing. The conflict within his mind overwhelmed any noise from without.  
'They started turning against you the first time. Didn't your precious friend William leave you to Barbossa and his men? What makes you think he cares anymore now?'  
'No! They wouldn't 'ave saved me if tha' were true.'  
'They didn't know you then, Jack. All they had then were the beginnings of in inkling, just the seeds of doubt. It's when they saw you for who you really are that your so-called friends made their decision. They're better off without you.'  
Jack shook his head. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. 'No.'  
'Yes.'  
"NO!!" Jack screamed, even louder than before.  
The other prisoners down the row of cells were beginning to glare angrily at him, their sleep having been disturbed twice now by the ravings of a seemingly insane pirate. There was even a shout or two, but Jack paid them no heed, nor did he see the guard enter his cell. The voice was everything, pounding ruthlessly inside his brain.  
'Jack, listen to me . . .'  
The pirate captain clapped his hands over his ears. "Shut up an' leave me be!" he yelled, trying to drown out the unremitting voice with his own.  
The guard approached Jack and lifted the butt of the musket. Grunting with pleasure, he brought the weapon down with punishing force on the captive man's scalp. Jack crumpled to the ground, his vision blurring, and then finally falling dark.  
The last thing he heard before slipping into oblivion was the soft triumphant purr of that terrible voice.  
'They've left you to die, Jack Sparrow.'  
  
[a/n: Please review.] 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The guard looked down with a sneer of distaste at the recently subdued prisoner. He noted the small amount of red liquid welling from the fresh gash on the pirate's forehead, a wound which was steadily growing larger and darker. He then, in turn, noticed the faint smear of blood on the butt of his rifle. With a sigh of disgust, he unceremoniously wiped the blood from the rifle onto the unconscious prisoner's shirt.  
The guard then turned and abruptly left the cell, closing the door firmly behind him. Before he stepped away to begin his late evening rounds, he turned back to make doubly certain that the mad captive's cell door was indeed locked tight.  
  
~*~  
  
"Wake up, Sparrow."  
Jack flinched both in- and outwardly at the words. He assumed the nagging, evil voice had returned to drive him to complete insanity.  
"Sparrow, this is the last chance for you to get up on your own," the voice came back with a demanding tone.  
There was something distinctly different about this voice, however. This voice was cool, calm, commanding; whereas the other voice was sly, seductive, (in a rather twisted way,) and slightly evil. By this train of deductive reasoning, Jack was relieved to discover that this could not be the same voice that had haunted him.  
No, this voice belonged to-  
"SPARROW!"  
Jack started into complete consciousness. He sat bolt upright and his eyes snapped fully open. Both actions proved to have unpleasant consequences.  
The lighting in the prison was much brighter than he recalled. Squinting against the unyielding sun, he tried vainly to decrease the throbbing in his skull. Most of the pain seemed to be emanating from a line on his right temple. When the pirate slowly reached up and dabbed gently at the spot with his fingers, he accidentally rubbed various particles of grit, straw, and sweat into the open wound and winced. He withdrew his hand and examined his grimy fingers; the tips were coated in a thick film of half-dried blood.  
"Last evening's watch informed me that you caused undue ruckus," Norrington explained, clasping his hands behind his back and standing even straighter.  
"Apparently," Jack mumbled in sarcastic agreement, rubbing his fingertips together and watching as small flakes of dry blood dropped to the stone floor.  
"Well, I do apologize for the unpleasantness, however, you have an appointment, Mr. Sparrow; one from which I will not keep you," Norrington said, his voice monotone and carefully emotionless. He glanced in turn over at the two soldiers standing to either side of him. "Take him up."  
  
~*~  
  
The redcoats roughly tugged on Jack's arms, forcing him up the stairs. He wasn't exactly fighting them, but he seemed to be having difficulty forcing his legs to be obedient. As if they were composed entirely of lead, they felt heavy and uncooperative, and he found himself stumbling along the steps.  
He stared off, his eyes fixed on no point in particular, the last words of that malevolent voice reverberating through his brain.  
'They've left you to die, Jack Sparrow.'  
Despite the simplicity of the phrase, the pirate captain was having immense difficulty in deciphering its meaning. They couldn't leave him to die. They wouldn't.  
'What's tha' supposed t' mean?' Jack silently questioned, half hoping that the voice would answer, but at the same time dreading that it would.  
As it was, he didn't have to worry. Before the voice could have replied, they were out the door, and a blast of intense sunlight snapped the pirate back to reality. 


	4. Chapter 4

[a/n: A HUGE thanks and a hug goes to my beta, Yakkorat, for all the hard work she put into looking this over and correcting my numerous errors. Thankies!]  
  
Chapter 4  
  
There it stood: the contraption of his demise, its sturdy wooden beams dark-colored and foreboding. The structure was halfway across the square and Jack found his legs to be more cooperative on the flat surface. He walked along without a dispute, his head sinking and hanging low, staring blankly at the featureless gray cobblestones.  
He didn't even notice the clouds growing dimmer as he moved forward through the teeming courtyard.  
  
~*~  
  
"Honestly father, of all the days you compel me to attend an execution . . ."  
"Elizabeth, please, not now."  
"But Father, it looks like rain," she tried in one last attempt to escape the gruesome spectacle ahead of her. "I might take ill."  
Governor Swann sighed, incensed. "Elizabeth, you must learn to accept these activities as part of your responsibility. Even though you are married to a common blacksmith and have befriended pirates, you are still the governor's daughter. By all rights, that husband of yours should be here as well, standing by your side and in support of the law." Elizabeth grimaced. She had heard all of this before, many, many times.  
"You know he can't abide executions, Father, not since Jack. And neither can I," she insisted truthfully. "It a barbaric thing we do, and I am only glad that Will managed to make it to the smithy before you came to our home with the intent to waylay us both."  
"Please try to understand," her father entreated as the drummers began to beat their merciless cadence, "it is the law. Villains and scoundrels must reimburse society for their crimes."  
"With their lives?!" Elizabeth spelled out in disgust, as the clouds chose that inopportune moment to unleash their stored fury. Without a thought, she stepped back farther into the archway which would offer her and her father shelter from the elements while the sky poured down buckets on the rest of the bystanders. The new inundation of water, however, did nothing to stop the flood of indignation she was releasing at her father. "How can we expect a man to learn the value of a human life if we fail to value his? And what of those who muddle that line between goodness and piracy, Father? What of them? Would you feel the same if Jack Sparrow were the one standing behind the noo-" Elizabeth stopped herself mid- sentence as she watched the soldiers lead a troublingly familiar form through the driving rain.  
No. It couldn't be. Squinting through the downpour, she tried desperately to discern the identity of the man before her. The rain was too heavy. She just couldn't be certain. Elizabeth clung to hope, praying that she was wrong, waiting nervously to hear the officer read the man's name and charges.  
So engrossed was she in her task that she didn't even hear the footfalls as their owner glided up behind her.  
"Governor Swann."  
Elizabeth jumped slightly at the new voice, but quickly managed to compose herself.  
"Elizabeth," the Commodore said in turn, nodding briefly in her direction.  
"Commodore," Elizabeth said somewhat cagily, not daring to alienate her former suitor today; not when he might be able to help her if the poor wretch caught in the deluge was who she suspected it might be. Even at a time like this, she could keep a civil tongue in her head if Norrington could help Jack.  
  
~*~  
  
The rain fell unremittingly, soaking through his thin shirt and pounding on his exposed flesh. Jack ignored the miniature stings, continuing on as before, his head hung low against the onslaught of raindrops, his eyes half-lidded, and his body uncharacteristically quiet. His usual drunken swagger of a gait had disappeared completely. When had that happened? Did it really matter? His hands hung limply before him, making no effort to free themselves from the binding around his wrists, and showing no intention of weaving their convoluted patterns should he decide to speak.  
Water soaked his hair and clothes thoroughly, but Jack couldn't even muster the energy to feel it. At least the horrible voice had ceased its torments, and that, he thought, was a small blessing.  
Finally, his feet reached the edge of the dais, and he plodded his way unenthusiastically up the rain-slicked steps, splashing water back on the few onlookers who had braved the weather to see him hang. The redcoats remained at the base of the stairs, no doubt confused at his actions—or lack thereof. Heck, Jack wasn't sure what was going on in his head right now either, so he could hardly blame them.  
When the once-proud pirate captain had climbed all the stairs, the executioner stepped forward, grabbed his arm, and dragged his unresisting body to stand behind the noose. Jack looked up at the thin rope that would be the instrument of his downfall—blast, what a horrible pun—with detached interest. How peculiar that a man with a legend so big could be ended by something so small . . . It seemed sad, really. Unfitting. But he very much doubted anyone else would see the irony in it.  
  
~*~  
  
The blue-coated official took his place beside the condemned, blinking the rain from his eyes and unrolling a rather long list of charges. "Jack Sparrow," he began stridently, reading from the scroll.  
Oh dear . . . Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat. It was Jack! Reflexively, she bit the corner of her mouth, waiting for her friend to insert his title as he always did and hoping there would not be retribution for his insolence. To her bewilderment and, indeed, her horror, Jack didn't even move.  
"Be it known that you have been charged, tried, and convicted," the official continued, his booming voice nearly drowned out by the pounding of the rain, "for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. The most egregious of these to be cited herewith: piracy, smuggling . . ."  
Elizabeth spun toward her father. "Father, when . . . I mean, where . . . how . . ." she stuttered quickly.  
Obviously understanding what Elizabeth, herself, couldn't manage to push past panicked lips, the Commodore straightened. "I believe I could best answer your concerns, Mrs. Turner."  
"Impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England . . ."  
The last offense caught her ear, and she turned her concentration forward for a moment. Hearing the mention of this particular crime had given Jack a good chuckle once before, and Elizabeth squinted through the precipitation, hoping for a hint of a smile from the pirate who had helped save her life, not once, but twice. Nothing. No smile. No frown. No indication that he had heard the charges being read to him at all.  
"Sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation . . ."  
Returning her attention once more to the commodore at her side, she shot a pleading stare in his direction. To her surprise, however, Norrington's normally stoic face was twisted in a look of—was that regret? Even concern? Impossible. But there it was, his gaze fixed on Jack's empty, lifeless eyes.  
"And general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul," the officer finished at last, lowering the scroll. "You may now address the crowd with your last words."  
Elizabeth worried her lip, her brow furrowed in helplessness. She racked her brain; desperate to find some solution, anything she could do to stop this, to delay it. At least they were giving Jack the chance to speak. That would give her another moment or two. If there was one thing that Jack Sparrow was good at, it was talking. Whether or not he could be heard would be another story entirely.  
Jack stared blankly out at the crowd. His lips moved slowly, wearily, but the roaring wind carried his words away, all but unheard.  
  
[a/n: Please review.] 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

                "Speak up!"  The official snapped.

                "'M sorry."  Jack said simply.  The comment reached Elizabeth as a whisper through the crowd and driving rain.  "'M so sorry Ana, Gibbs,"

                "His crew…" Elizabeth breathed in confusion.  "What happen-?"

                "…Will, Elizabeth; sorry."  Jack finished too soon, much too soon for Elizabeth's liking.

                The tempo of those relentless drums increased, and the rope was fitted around Captain Jack Sparrow's neck.  As the slack was removed, Jack closed his eyes momentarily.  When he opened them again, what Elizabeth saw chilled her to the bone.  She quickly averted her gaze, finding the ground to her right more interesting.

~*~

                Jack stared out at the crowd listlessly, assuming he would find no acquaintances.  As his eyes roamed towards the back of the crowd, they stopped on three familiar persons.

                Despite what the voice had told him—had made him believe—a faint glimmer of hope flared in his heart.  He managed to lock his gaze on Elizabeth's, ignoring the torrent of water that separated them.

                '_Jack, give it up.  There's no way she would help you even if she could._'

                Jack took in a sharp breath, closing his eyes.  So the grand plan was not only for Captain Jack Sparrow to be hung friendless, but tormented by a dark figment of his imagination, as well.

                An evil chuckle echoed through the complex chambers of his mind.  '_Really now Jack.  Is that _all_ you think of me?_'

                Jack's eyes snapped open, suddenly preferring the dark haze of the courtyard to the searing blackness in his mind where the voice dwelled.

                Elizabeth quickly broke their eye contact, leaving Jack utterly alone.

                '_Not quite alone, Jack.  Are you forgetting me?_'

                Jack sharply suppressed the desire to scream at the voice, to ward it off forever.  Despite his best efforts, the voice's malicious echo streamed through his mind.

~*~

                The drums stopped cold and a sharp release resonated across the courtyard.

                Elizabeth's head shot up and her eyes widened in horror as Jack's gaze dropped.  His eyes closed not a moment later as the plank disappeared from beneath his feet.  The infamous pirate slipped down through the newly opened hole.

                Just when she dared to hope that the rope might break, his body came to a sharp stop.  The pirate was left hanging awkwardly from the noose.

                The crack of a neck breaking was non-existent and Elizabeth sadly lowered her gaze, not wanting to watch her friend suffer.

                The crowd dispersed, considering the spectacle to be at a close.  The unrelenting water pouring from the sky helped to hasten their departure.  Elizabeth remained long after everyone else, including the Governor and Commodore Norrington.  She was frozen in place with one hand to her mouth and eyes darkened with sorrow.  Without her knowledge, tears formed in her eyes and silently slid down her face.  The truth hit her like a slap to the cheek:  Captain Jack Sparrow's legacy had come to an untimely end at the mercy of gravity and a hempen rope.

                Elizabeth watched numbly as the swing of an ax severed the rope, dropping the lifeless form unceremoniously to the ground.  A slight swirl of dust kept dry by the platform swirled, defining the only movement below the gallows platform.  The official and executioner then took their leave quickly, dashing for the cover of the fort.

                The monotone clomp of an animal's feet followed by wheels crunching on the cobblestones alerted Elizabeth to the fact that someone had come to collect the body.  She didn't, however, turn to look in the direction of the cart.  Instead, she waited until it plodded into her line of vision:  first the donkey, then the cart's driver, then the rest of the cart itself.  The driver was cloaked in black, a hood protecting his head from the rain and serving to hide his face.

                The cart drew up next to the platform that loomed gloomily against the dark sky.  Once the driver had pulled the reins back, bringing both the donkey and cart to a stop, he easily slipped down from his perch.  He efficiently made his way beneath the dais, blending in with the shadows.  He emerged a moment later, carelessly dragging the body by the bindings on its wrists.  The body sagged through the puddles between its origin and destination, picking up water and various sediments along its path.  The noose remained tightly around the pirate's neck, a brutal reminder of how shamefully his life had been taken.

               The cloaked man, despite his slim form, effortlessly lifted the dead weight into the back of the cart, very nearly throwing the body in.  He quickly drew a canvas tarp over the body to shield it from public view before heading back towards the front of the cart.  He jumped up to the driver's seat, collected the reins and whip, and then tapped at the animal's flank.

                The beast of burden shook its head free of the water before slowly stepping forward.  The driver directed it in a wide arc, turning back from the way it had come.  After becoming accustomed to the extra weight, the animal picked up pace, trotting from the fort.  The cart carrying the body of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow bounced along behind.

                Elizabeth covered her face with her hands, allowing the tears to grow into audible sobs.  She harshly shook her head, trying to convince herself it was all a dream.  When she discovered there was no way to escape the here and now, she turned and ran from the fort, seeking out the comfort of her husband's arms.

[a/n:  Please review, it helps my low self-esteem.]


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

                "Jack…"

                Jack's eyebrows twitched in irritation, but otherwise he didn't stir.

                "Oh come now Jack, don't play hard-to-get with me.  I know you are awake."

                As the familiarity of the voice was accompanied by a cool brush against his cheek, his eyes snapped open, focused and alert.  His whole body unintentionally tensed, expecting the worst.

                "See Jack?  That wasn't so hard."

                Jack slowly sat up, looking around him cautiously in an attempt to locate the voice's source.  All he could see in any given direction was a thick, gray mist.  Experimentally, Jack stretched out a hand, hoping to feel his way out of this situation.  When his fingers brushed against the wall of fog, blazing hot energy coursed up his arm, causing him to wince in pain while his hand trembled.  He quickly withdrew his hand and examined it.  The pain faded instantly, but red welts covered his fingers where they had met with the misty barrier.

                "Sorry Jack, but you won't be getting out that easily."

                Jack tensed again, his gaze shooting all around the mist-bound clearing.

                "Who are ye?  _Where_ are ye?  Ye seem t' know mine so well-"

                The voice's laugh echoed eerily, the feminine sound ringing like falling rain, tolling bells, and shattering crystal all at once.  "Oh, I know so much more than just your name, Jack."

                "Tha's nice, but _who are you_?"  Jack asked again, being sure to stress his question.

~*~

                The small cart rolled along, the wheels occasionally catching in rain-made ruts in the pebble road, causing the dead weight in the back to jump with the cart's motion.  The wispy tendrils of fog reluctantly swirled away from the animal and the cart that followed behind it.  A strange crunching sound from along the deserted roadside caused the cart's driver to pull back on the reins, signaling a full-stop.  The beast of burden gladly fell to a stop, shaking its head as if rejoicing in the short break.

                The cart's driver cautiously peered into the thick miasma, attempting to locate the sound's source.  After having scanned both sides of the road, the driver collected the reins and clucked to the donkey, tapping its hide with the whip.

                "Git along," the driver instructed, needlessly voicing his command.

                The donkey took one step forward, and then froze.  Its ears pricked, nostrils flared, and white showed around its eyes.

                "Wha's wrong wit ye?  I said 'git along'!"  The driver snapped, smacking the donkey's flank smartly with the whip.

                As the crack of the contact echoed through the eerie mist, the donkey lost its cool composure.  The creature reared once, touched, and then reared again, this time managing to eke a crack from the wooden cart.  After touching down momentarily, it was back up, rearing and bucking for all it was worth.

                A sharp snap emanated from the cart as the harness buckled and the donkey bolted, tipping the cart to one side in the process.  The cart splintered, sending up a spray of gravel where it went down.  The driver and the tarp-covered weight in the back were thrown clear of the debris.

                The driver recovered at the sound of boots and two sets of hooves crunching on the gravel.  He recognized one set of hooves as the retreating donkey's, but the other steps were completely alien to his ears.

                As the steps of both man and beast drew closer, the driver raised his bruised and scraped body to his hands and knees.  The footsteps stopped and he, in turn, looked up only to be met with the hilt of a sword to the side of his head.

~*~

                "Does that _really_ matter?  After all, my job is to help you see the truth."

                "An' what is tha'?"  Jack asked, slightly annoyed that the voice refused to show itself or give him its title.

                "Jack, really, we've been through this-"

                "Then why're ye still in me head?!"

                The voice didn't answer and the yelled question reverberated through the vapor, the repetitions in voices other than his own becoming unnerving.

                "Ye gonna answer?"  Jack asked, his voice not as strong as he would have liked.

                Unknown to him, the mist began shifting around his ankles, forming itself into thick tentacles and circling him, constantly moving closer to his person.

~*~

                Ana scowled down at the motionless body at her feet.  Not a moment later, she shook dark hair from her eyes and sheathed her cutlass.  Dropping the reins of the horse she had borrowed from a local stable without permission, she turned her attention to the broken cart lying on its shattered side.  Rounding the vehicle, she set her sights on the large bundle of canvas lying dust- and gravel-covered on the ground.  Curiously, she ventured nearer and, kneeling, she lifted the edge of the tarp.  What she saw made her take in a sharp breath.

                "Jack?!"

~*~

                "Don't you _dare_ insult me so!"  The voice shrieked.

                At the piercing screech, the tendrils of mist lanced out, puncturing Jack's shoulders, sides, and thighs.  The spears sent fire energy through him and the power burned him both internally and externally.  The burning feelings caused him to call out in pain.

~*~

                The pirate grimaced and his body contorted, trying to escape some unknown pain.

                "Jack!  What's wrong?!"  Ana asked urgently, removing the tarp from his body and pulling him into her arms.

~*~

                "Jack, give it up.  You know you cannot win against the truth.  All you _think_ you know is lies.  They left you because you betrayed them.  There's nothing left for you to fight for."

                As she said this, ropes of white-hot energy circled Jack's body like a large snake, then began to squeeze.  The pressure not only caused great agony, but it made breathing more and more difficult.  Moments later, Jack's body fell still in the burning bonds, hanging nearly lifeless and suspended only by the twining mists.

                "Yes…"  The voice's sinister purr echoed throughout the darkening fog.

[a/n:  Please review, it lets me know your opinions on what you're reading.]


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

                "Jack?"  Ana whispered, worry weighing down her voice as Jack's respiration slowed even further.  He was barely breathing now and a quick check at his inner wrist told her that his pulse was similarly suffering.

                "C'mon ye daft pirate, ye can't die on me!"

                Jack's only response was for his breathing to come to a complete stop.

                "Jack!  No!"  Ana nearly screamed, shaking his limp body furiously.  "No!"  She repeated, hoping beyond all hope that it would bring him back.  When that tactic failed, she brought back her hand and swung it forward.  The blow landed on his cheek and sent his head lolling to the side.

                Still no response.

                She pressed her fingers to his inner wrist once more, searching out his pulse.  She found it, only to discover that it was slowing and becoming weaker.

                In a last, desperate act, she pressed her lips to his and forced air into his lungs.  She did this twice more, hoping, praying that he would breathe.

                To her great relief, her silent prayers were answered as his chest expanded on its own.  Once she was sure he would continue to take breaths for himself, she rocked back on her heels and looked down at him with a smile tugging on the corners of her lips.  It disappeared however, when she noticed the dark purplish mark encompassing his neckline and the noose of rope that had created it still wrapped tightly about his neck.  She peeled the rope off and examined the braided pattern embedded in the tender flesh.

                Ana rose to her feet decisively, dragging Jack up with her by hooking her arms beneath his.  She shuffled towards the horse, who was casually grazing in the ditch and, once there, hoisted Jack's dead weight up into the saddle.  She then carefully laid him forward on the animal's neck, making sure his body was balanced.  She secured her own foot in the stirrup and swung up behind the saddle, collecting the reins on her way.  Wrapping one arm around Jack's chest, she pulled him close to her and held the reins in her free hand.  She then clucked to the horse, kicked its sides, and they started for the countryside at a flat run.

~*~

                "Will!" Elizabeth exclaimed, bursting into the forge and very near well falling into his arms, crying hysterically.

                "Elizabeth," Will muttered in surprise, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her trembling shoulders.  "I thought you were going to that hanging with you father…"

                "They got him, Will, they got him," Elizabeth sobbed, burying her face in his soot-covered leather apron.

                "What?  Slow down, Elizabeth, slow down, here," he said softly, carefully pushing her away from him and removing the leather apron.  Tossing the clothing article aside, he once again collected Elizabeth in his arms and held her close until her panic-stricken weeping had mostly subsided.

                Elizabeth pulled away from him, wiping a hand across her eyes carefully, trying to compose herself.  Once her breathing was normally paced and her tears were dried, she took in a deep breath.

                "Alright, now tell me what happened."

                "They caught him; I'm not sure how-"

                "They caught who?  Jack?"

                Elizabeth nodded, not trusting her voice to deliver the message as her throat constricted.

                "But that means…" Will's eyebrows came together as some of the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.  "Was he the one?"

                Elizabeth nodded again, fresh tears sliding from her eyes.

                Will stepped back, the news hitting him harder than a bullet to the chest.  Jack—his only connection to his father—was gone…dead…killed, no, murdered.  He slumped into a nearby chair and leaned forward, holding his head in his hands and silently mourning his friend.

~*~

                The clatter of frantic hooves on stone echoed down to the dark-stained deck of the _Black Pearl_.  Gibbs released the loose end of rope from the knot he had finished tying and looked up the hill from which the sound had emanated.  There shouldn't be any civilians out this far, in this harsh, uninhabited side of the island.

                A tall, sturdily built horse tore around from behind a large boulder.  His chestnut-colored fur sported large patches of sweat which darkened the hide to an almost black color in the waning light.  White foam dripped from corners of the animal's mouth, spattering on its legs, chest and the ground beneath its feet.

                Ana sat firmly on the creature's back, her hand hard on the reins, drawing out any slack and keeping tight control over the beast.  Her right arm was wrapped securely around a very familiar figure…

                "Jack?!"  Gibbs exclaimed, watching as the horse and his two riders flew down the rough hillside.  There was something noticeably wrong with the picture:  Jack was jerking about with the horse's stride like a rag doll.

                The horse's footing faltered as it slipped harshly on a loose stone, sending him and his riders skidding extra feet towards the beach in a cloud of brown dust.  The animal clumsily regained its footing and continued hastily weaving through the field of rocks.

                Once they reached the shoreline Ana quickly slipped form the horse's back and dragged Jack down after her.  She did her best to hold him up as his lifeless weight slouched towards the ground.

[a/n:  Please review.  Also, this story won an award in a local contest, although the ending had to be changed for the worse at the beginning of Chapter 4.]


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

                Jack's eyes fluttered open, only to find himself standing in a dark corner of a tavern.  A very familiar tavern at that.  Searching his memories from the most recent and sinking into the past, he strived to remember this tavern's import.

_                "Why so gruff, sir?"_

                Jack swung around, facing the all too familiar voice with twinges of both guilt and longing tugging at his heart.

_                "None o' yer business."  The man snapped, clutching the handle of his mug tighter._

_                "So be it," Ana huffed, turning on her heel and making sure her skirt brushed the back side of his leg._

                Jack's eyes widened as he realized why the tavern was so familiar:  it was where he and Ana had first met.

_                "Lass, wait."_

_                She stopped mid-step, slowly looking over her shoulder at him and allowing her most innocent pout to surface.  Jack sighed, rubbing a hand down his face._

_                "Come 'ere."_

_                Ana complied and sat herself gracefully on the stool to Jack's right and casually placed a hand on his right arm._

_                "There was no need fer me t' be so rude," Jack began, his tone adding sincerity to the words.  "Let me buy you a drink?  I'll need yer name, though."_

_                Ana smiled widely and nodded.  "Jus' a light ale, if ye please."_

_                "And your name?"_

                "An innocent enough meeting," Jack said to himself, crossing his arms before him and nodding decisively to himself.  The trinkets strung in his hair jingled as if in agreement with the thought.  '_Although why I'm reliving it as a copy of myself doesn't make much sense…_'

                "Still confused Jack?  Really, remember what happened next…?"  The sinister voice echoed the question.

                Jack opened his mouth and was about to reply matter-of-factly when the world around him decided to demonstrate instead.  The colors blended together, destroying all the supposedly solid objects in the blink of an eye, only to reshape them later to reveal yet another familiar scene.

_                Ana's hand traveled unnoticed to the pillow beside Jack's head.  She returned the grin to ensure no suspicions were raised, doing her best to imitate his drunken condition._

_                "So luv, wha's yer name?"_

_                "I tol' ye, 's Joanna."_

_                "Nay, tell me yer real name."  Jack persisted, his eyes becoming much more focused than they had been a moment ago._

_                Ana took in a sharp breath, realizing he had been toying with her at least half as much as she was with him.  With a frown of anger, she lifted the pillow up and quickly placed it over his face.  Using both hands, she kept the pillow pinned firmly in place.  She had to call on all her strength to keep the pillow over his head as the man thrashed wildly in an attempt to get a breath._

                "Now wait a minute!  Tha's not-"

                "True?"  The voice chuckled at correctly having guessed the answer.  "You know it is."

_                Ana gritted her teeth as one of his fists connected with her elbow, almost causing her to lose her grip on the pillow.  Much to her relief, his movements soon became sluggish, then slowed until they were only the occasional twitch.  Finally, the man laid still._

                "One problem, she didn' _want_ t' kill me…it were all her brother's faul-"

                Jack was cut off as the room around him once again melted into a mixture of murky colors.  When it reformed, he was back in the tavern's lower level, watching as his own self staggered after having been heavily drugged by Ana's brother.

_                Ana stepped up beside her accomplice now dressed in a loose shirt and breeches.  When her gaze fell on the motionless form by Muent's feet, she frowned in disgust._

_                "What is it?"  Muent asked, not taking his eyes off Jack's body.  He noted casually that the pirate's breathing seemed labored.  "Hmm…that's interesting."_

_                "How's he alive?  I though' you were gonna take care o' him?!"  Ana asked angrily.  "Ne'er mind 'im.  I'm here t' collect my reward."_

_                Muent nodded shortly.  He pulled a large pouch from his vest pocket and dropped it into her waiting palm.  She bounced the pouch in her hand, expertly testing the weight of the contents to its value.  She glanced at Muent, then at the pouch, and then nodded.  "I expect t' see my boat t'morrow."  She hissed, glaring down at the pirate.  "An' take care o' him."_

_                Muent nodded again._

_                Ana's temper flared unexpectedly and she released her vexation on the closest object—Jack's nearly lifeless body.  She drew back his foot and viciously jabbed the solid heel into Jack's side, drawing a satisfying crunch as the boot connected with Jack's ribs.  A nasty smile spread over her face as no reaction was forthcoming._

               "You see?  She wanted you gone _more_ than her brother did.  And to think you actually trusted her with your real feelings…your life.  Stupid pirate."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

                "Ana ain't like tha'!"  Jack protested immediately.

                "Really?"

                The colors warped once more, darkening mostly to a blackish hue and then forming themselves into a damp hold with a single prisoner tied to a support beam.  Jack took in a sharp breath, instantly recognizing yet another part of his past.

_                The woman grinned harshly, the lantern light casting strange, eerie shadow patterns over her face.  "Oh yes, fun…well, for me at least.  It's about time you learned your lesson, Jack.  And I'll teach you, even if it means tearing you limb from agonizing limb."_

_                Jack shuddered unintentionally, a knot of dark fear growing and constricting in his gut.  He felt tendrils of dark energy reaching up from within him, clouding his mind and further hazing all his movements._

_                "I wonder Jack, what part of your body do you value the most?  One would think, given your liking of bedding wenches, that…well, I think you get it.  It's pretty obvious given what a woman user you are."_

_                Jack's eyes widened as much as they possibly could as what the other was speaking of hit home.  His gaze locked worriedly on the sharp-pronged tongs in Ana's hand and the knife hanging from her belt.  "You wouldn'…"_

_                "I would.  S'less than you deserve, anyways."  Ana hissed, an evil smile playing across her face as she unsheathed the knife with her free hand._

                "Either I were more fevered'n I thought, or yer're lying."  Jack growled, his tone implying he didn't believe the first choice.

                "Deem what you will truthful Jack, but from the way you said that, one would think you don't believe me.  Why?"

                "D'you _really_ want an answer t' that?"

                "What about your faithful quartermaster Gibbs?  What about Will and Elizabeth?  You know they don't care…they don't care at all, right?"

                "Wrong."

                The voice's light chuckle echoed as the colors shifted to form a brig on a different ship, though one still prominent in his memory.

_                "Why should I know?"  Jack asked, grinning stupidly._

_                An echoing crack shot through the previously still brig._

_                Jack's face was turned so his chin was almost touching his left shoulder.  Nine gouges marked from his right temple to the base of his neck where the whip's tips had touched his flesh.  Blood soon began trickling from the wounds._

_                "Feeling more talkative now, Sparrow?"  Gibbs asked coldly from his spot off to the side and behind the young blacksmith holding the cat-o-nine-tails._

_                Jack turned his head back to face his main tormentor and supposed friend.  To the surprise of all three, the stupid, characteristic grin reasserted itself on Jack's face._

_                "Nay."  Jack said calmly, grinning more widely despite the pain flaring in his cheek._

_                Will circled to get behind Jack, who didn't even bother looking behind him, for he had a feeling he knew what was coming next.  Sure enough, a few moments later another sharp crack echoed through the brig.  Jack flinched violently from the pain the nine lashes across his back caused._

_                Elizabeth and Gibbs stood before him, reveling in the sound and sight of his pain._

                "Tha' wasn't them…" Jack started, his argument trailing off as true confusion set in.  It was so hard to separate the real memories from these…if there was such a separation.  As far as he could tell, these _were_ the real memories, but…  "Tha's not possible…"

                "Sorry Jack, but it's more than possible.  It's the pure, unassailable truth."

~*~

                "Wha' happened t' him?  Thought he was jus' gonna take care o' a few things…in Tortuga!"  Gibbs asked, crowding towards Ana and Jack inside the captain's cabin.

                "Well, if yer askin' how he got here, I've no clue.  If yer askin' what _this_ is all about," she said, motioning to the dark purple bruise about Jack's neck, "then I'll tell ye:  he were hanged."

~*~

                "Enough wit' the past," Jack snarled, the mixture of so-called truths suddenly overwhelming him, making the sound more feral than usual.

                "Care to get a glimpse of the future then?  It really doesn't matter now that you're dead.  Want to see what could have been?"

                Jack eyes widened in horror, not wishing to experience could-be memories on top of what he had already seen.  "No…please…no…"

                Despite his plea, the hues of the world began swirling, mixing, and reforming.

                Jack now found himself standing beside the bed in his cabin on the _Black Pearl_.  Everything seemed in order; maps lay across the table, his compass and spyglass resting on top of them.  The room was as tidy as always, only his worn tri-corn leather hat resting over the corner of the chair.

                Jack lightly stepped over to the large window, staring longingly out at the horizon.  A ship not too far off caught his attention and he took in a sharp breath as he realized that the schooner was flying his colors.  He spun to face the doorway as he heard the click of the lock.

                Ana stepped into the cabin, key in hand.  "Commodore, how many times do I have t' tell you tha' lockin' yer door when ye sleep is unnecessary?  Th' crew ain't gonna mutiny."

                "Commodore?"  Jack repeated, confusion making itself clear on his face.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

                "Aye…fergettin' yer title already?"  Ana questioned back, her voice containing a playful undertone.

                "What…other ships sail under me?"

                "Wow, you really must've had a touch more rum than I thought…" Ana trailed off as even more confusion dawned on Jack's facial features.  "Ne'er mind.  Ye've got th' _Pearl_ an' three ships ye took as prizes."

                Jack nodded numbly, trying to process all this information at once.  He noticed something distinctly different about her form…her stomach was rounder, much rounder.

                Before he could come up with something appropriate to say, the world began mixing with itself, turning into the murky gray mist-covered clearing from before.  Loneliness gripped his heart and he swallowed slowly, a single tear making its way down his cheek.

                "What's the matter Jack?"

                The pirate's eyes snapped open then slammed shut once more against the pain radiating through his body.  He pushed instinctively against the ropes of energy binding his arms to his sides and restricting the movement of his chest.  In response, the pain tripled in strength, drawing a gasp from the man as the harness of torrid energy seared through his clothing and burned his skin.

~*~

                Jack winced and shuddered, once again combating against an invisible foe.  His breaths came short and rapid, the rasping sound echoing throughout the confines of the cabin.  Ana and Gibbs exchanged worried glances, each setting a hand on one of Jack's shoulders incase his movements should become more violent.

                "What can we do?"  Ana asked in an urgent whisper, hoping beyond all hope that Gibbs had a solution.

                When the old sailor sighed and shook his head, Ana's gut clenched in fear.  "I don' know, lass.  Never dealt wit' something like this."

                A sharp intake of breath from the cabin door drew both the pirates' attention from the unconscious man.  They turned to face the sound and found one of the younger crew members hesitating at the threshold, vacillating between entering and running for all he was worth.

~*~

                "Don't you see Jack?  You betrayed them because you were paranoid that they'd betray you.  This is why you are bound for death instead of life and success."  The voice echoed, the words holding more weight and…truth…and…

                Tears made their way in streams down the sides of Jack's face even as the bonds around his body loosened and slowly lowered him to the featureless gray ground.  The spines of fire that had embedded themselves in his shoulders and sides disappeared in displays of light fragments, leaving no proof of their existence on his body.

                Jack eventually dropped to all fours, curling his hands into fists so tight that his dirt-coated nails gouged into his palms.  He bit his lower lip, fighting the flood of emotion that invaded his senses, penetrating the carefully placed barriers around his heart.

                "Give it up Jack, just accept the truth and the emotions will be meaningless…no one can ever hurt you again.  Just…join me…" the voice slowly evaporated into the mist, only faint traces of the baleful vibration bouncing around the barriers of fog until they too dissipated.

                Jack was left alone in the center of the swirling fog, contemplating the voice's meaning.  '_Maybe she's right…there's no reason I should have trusted them, so I didn't.  Is tha' so wrong?  I simply took the lessons from th' past into account an'…_'

                "Winged it?"  The voice offered, knowing that he would accept it without complaint.

                Jack nodded slowly, the act of accepting it obviously taking its toll on him both emotionally and physically.  "Aye…"

                At this admission, the fog twitched, and then coalesced with itself to momentarily form a feminine figure before vanishing completely.

                "And _why_?"

                "They…they slipped past me defenses…" Jack muttered in answer to the open-ended question, once more playing into the voice's theoretical hands.  His voice was draining of emotions more and more with each word.

                "That's right.  And?"

                "I cared fer 'em…stupidly."

~*~

                "Jack?"  Ana breathed in amazement and uncertainty as Jack's eyes slid open hesitantly.  "You here?"  She smiled with tears pricking the backs of her eyes as she received a very weak nod from the pirate.

                "A-Ana…" Jack rasped so quietly that she could barely hear.

                Ana smiled all out and gently drew him up into a hug.  "Jack, I'm so glad you're okay…never do tha' again."

                To her shock, Jack managed to wriggle free from her embrace and edge as far away from her on the bed as possible.

                "Something wrong, Jack?"

                "Call me 'Cap'n', wench."

                Gibbs' jaw dropped, while Ana's expression was of an obviously crushed spirit.  Never in the history of their relationship had Jack spoken to her so brusquely…at least not to her face.  There had been one incident, but it had turned out to be more of a misinformed problem than a lasting wound.  Ana's shock developed into fiery anger at her record speed of emotional changes.

                "Wha' did you call me, _Cap'n_?" she asked carefully, sarcastically stressing the title.

                "Wench," Jack answered just as evenly, a dare burning in his weak voice.

[a/n:  Please review, I thought this would make for a…interesting ending.  If anyone is confused, just wait…I'll try to explain everything in due time.]


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

                Ana's eyes narrowed as she drew herself to her full height, silently accepting the challenge.  She forced her breathing to some semblance of normal, though the quickened pace and harshness of the sounds showed that she was having trouble resisting her urge to hurt Jack in any way, shape, or form.

                "Now both o' ye…out."  Jack growled, dragging himself up from the bed to stand on shaking legs.

                "Ye hardly seem t' be in any condition t' be givin' orders Jack," Ana pointed out, crossing her arms across her chest.

                Jack feebly stood as tall as possible, stepping to within a foot of Ana's face.  The two stood in a stalemate, glaring daggers at the other, shoulders tense as if preparing for an all-out brawl.

                "Ye can barely stand."

                The snap of flesh connecting with flesh at high speeds echoed through the cabin as Ana dropped backwards onto the floor.  She lay in shocked silence on the floor before slowly pulling herself into a sitting position and tenderly rubbing her cheek.  Her hand paused when the fingers brushed against something warm and sticky on her cheekbone.  Pulling it away to examine it, she found fresh blood now coated her fingers.

                Audible thuds declared the sudden disappearance of the young crewman who had been hovering by the door, his flight instincts haven gotten the better of him.

                "It seems I can say th' same fer you."  Jack growled, glaring down at her with empty eyes.

                "Cap'n, was tha'-"

                "Remember this, both o' you, ne'er forsake my title or question me orders…especially not in th' same breath."  As he said this, a dark hint of a grin twitched at the corner of his mouth.  "Now I'll say it once again:  _git out._"

                Gibbs leaned down and half helped, half lifted Ana to her feet.  "Let's tend t' tha' cut, lass," he muttered, using her new injury as an excuse to get them both out of the cabin without any more injury.

                Ana numbly followed his lead and in a few minutes the two had left, closing the door behind them.  Jack backed a step, closing the distance between him and the bed.  With a sigh, he allowed his legs to give and buried his head in his hands, the adrenaline from the confrontation gone.

                '_What's wrong Jack?  Having second thoughts?_'

                '_No._'

                '_I'm not so sure.  You're rethinking your actions towards the girl, aren't you?_'

                '_Who?  Ana?  No._'

                '_Right,_' the voice drawled, sounding eerily much like his own voice only more feminine.

                '_Why _would_ I care?_'

                '_Perhaps having seen what could have been has gotten you thinking?  It's not exactly the best thing to doubt yourself.  Not now, not ever._'

                Jack's head shot up and his eyes widened as the image Ana standing before him in the cabin, pregnant shot through his mind.  Once the memory had passed, his head returned to the comfort of his hands and he clenched the dreads of hair in his fingers. 

                '_'m not doubtin' myself._'  The muttered statement fluttered half-heartedly to the voice, which seemed to ignore it, but remained silent all the same.

                Jack remained in the silence of his cabin motionless as the glow of the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.

~*~

                "Commodore,"

                "Not now Mr. Turner, I am in great haste at the moment and you are undoubtedly here about the hanging yesterday."

                "Yes, but it's a simple question I have, really.  Where did they bury him?"

                "That is none of your—or Mrs. Turner's—concern," the Commodore replied simply, lengthening his stride which the blacksmith matched easily.

                Will sped up further and whipped in front of the Commodore, staring him straight in the eye and blocking his path.  "_Where is he?_"  Will asked quietly, a dangerous tone beneath his calm exterior.

                Norrington sighed and dropped his gaze slightly.  "They didn't."

                "Didn't what?  Hang him?  That would be impossible, seeing as my wife watched him strangle to death."  Will shot back, ignoring the rudeness of his comment.

                "No, he was hung, I assure you," Norrington paused momentarily as Will's expression darkened and his fists unconsciously clenched at his sides.  "But they did not bury him."

                "What?!"  Will hissed, not wanting to draw any other marines into the conversation.  "What do you mean?!  I thought the Navy was more decent than-"

                "Mr. Turner," Norrington snapped, cutting Will off pointedly.  "He was not buried because the cart carrying his body to the gravesite was attacked.  Sparrow's body was not recovered."

                Will's jaw went limp and all the anger once directed at Norrington drained and pointed itself to a new, unknown target.  Whoever had _dared_ to keep Jack from a burial would pay; and soon.

[a/n:  Please review, it keeps me writing and will get this story done sooner.]


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

                "Who could have done that?"  Elizabeth asked furiously, pacing the living room, looking for all purposes like a caged lion wanting to break free.  "Who would be that _sick_?"

                "I'm not sure.  What is there to gain from robbing a body cart?"

                Elizabeth's pacing stopped suddenly and a thoughtful look appeared on her face.  "Maybe they didn't know it was a body cart…maybe they were just looking for an easy profit."

                "But why take the body once you found out the truth?  It doesn't make sense."

                "Think like a criminal, Will.  What's the first rule when you commit a crime?"

                "Hide the evidence?"

                "Exactly.  The thief probably presumed the cart driver dead and with the mule gone, all that was left to deal with was Jack's body."

                "But why leave the cart driver's 'body'?  Once again, it makes no sense."  Will stated, reluctantly bringing the flaw of her reasoning to light.  "Unless,"

                "Unless what Will?"

                "His crew."

                "What?"

                "What if it was one of his crew?  I've heard rumors that the _Pearl_ has been seen near Port Royal as of late…what if they docked and were raiding small peddlers in the rougher part of town?"

                "Really Will!"

                "Think about it Elizabeth," Will begged.  "It's the story that seems most plausible.  Once they discovered the body in the cart was Jack they'd probably want to take him for a proper burial at sea.  You know how loyal to him they are…I mean _were_."

                Elizabeth was silent for a moment, carefully turning the thought over in her mind, searching for flaws.  Finding none, she nodded shortly.  "Alright, say it was one of his crew, where would they take him?"

                "Back to the _Pearl_."

                "But where's the _Pearl_ anchored?  She couldn't set port in the bay because the Navy would be all over her like horses on grain."

                Will nodded his agreement.  "Then they would have anchored on the other side of the island, away from the fort…I'm going."

                Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock and her jaw worked, but no sound was forthcoming.

                "I'm going Elizabeth, it's the least I can do, pay my last respects."

                "Will, are you mad?!"  She exclaimed, having finally found her voice.

                Will shrugged nonchalantly.  "I learned from the best."

~*~

                Jack paced his cabin, staggering often as his strength still hadn't fully returned.  '_No._'

                '_What?_'

                '_I didn't just do tha'._'

                '_Just do what?_'

                '_I couldn't have just…hit her.  Ne'er._'

                '_Well you did, and with good reason.  Stop trying to hide it Jack, I see what's going on._'

                Jack froze mid-step and looked about the cabin, seeming to search for the non-existent source of the voice.  He would never admit that his blood froze and his heart sped at the voice's mocking tone.  '_Wha'?_' he tried to keep his mind's voice calm, but it made no difference.

                '_This isn't doubting yourself or even us…no, this is…you're afraid, Captain Sparrow.  Afraid you're going as mad as you act._'

                Jack chuckled internally, the sound weak and unconvincing as it echoed through his mind.  '_Now why would I be afraid?_'

                '_Why?  Simple.  You're afraid to hurt the ones you once loved.  They betrayed you and you still are compassionate, setting yourself up for a worse fall.  Next time you won't survive.  Don't let there be a next time.  Do away with them now; put them in their place._'

                '_Who's this 'they' you keep referring to?_'

                '_Your crew, Will, Elizabeth, all of them.  They hurt you Jack; they almost killed you on multiple occasions,_'

                As the voice's statement floated through his mind, he was sent reeling back as the pain returned to old scars tenfold, but only for a moment before banishing itself to the chasms of history once more.  Jack stood, taking ragged breaths and rubbing at the still-sore bruise around his neck.

                '_Return the favor._'

[a/n:  Please review.  And pendragginink, thanks for the review; when this story is over, I'll just start another!  LOL.  Plotting, oh yes, plotting…]


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

                Ana sucked in a sharp breath as the rum-soaked rag met the new cut on her cheek, but she refused to flinch away from the burning sensation.

                "Sorry lass, but s'gotta be clean," Gibbs apologized, keeping the rag where it was.  "Well, makes sense now why Jack wears those rings…does a whole lot o' damage in a fist fight."

                Ana closed her eyes and nodded slightly as the rag was taken away.  She opened her eyes and looked at the older sailor squarely when he sighed.  "What?"

                "If tha' keeps bleedin', we'll need t' stitch it up."

                "Right.  See you in a few hours," Ana said quickly, standing and briskly making her way onto the main deck.

                As Ana stepped across the deck, being careful to give the captain's cabin a good berth, she was stopped by the distant sound of hooves striking stone and packed earth in a three-beat pattern.  Turning back to face the island, she saw two horses, each with a rider, cantering down the hillside.  From this distance, it was difficult to determine just who the riders were, excepting the fact that there was one male and one female.

                "Sharp shooters to th' riggin'!"  Ana yelled, drawing crewmen onto the deck without having to move from her spot beside the rail.

                The horses were drawn to sharp halts, still several yards from the shoreline and even further from the _Pearl_'s vantage point.

                Ana straightened to stand at her full height, silently asserting her authority.  She squinted against the sun, trying to identify the civilians.  When that failed, she turned to verbal communication.  "State your names and purpose or we'll open fire."

                The man straightened nervously in his saddle as the sharp shooters aimed their rifles in the riders' direction.  "Will Turner."

                Ana's eyes widened in shock.  "Git a long boat into th' water ye swabs!"  She snapped up to the sharp shooters in the rigging, who quickly dropped back to the deck.

~*~

                Once Will and Elizabeth had climbed aboard the _Black Pearl_, they were met by a sour-faced Ana with a split cheek.  Deciding not to comment, they shifted their focus to the larger problem at hand.

                "I don't know how to put this any other way, but…how will—what will you do now?  I mean, now that Jack is…dead?"  Will stuttered, his last word coming out as a saddened whisper.

                "Dead?  One could only wish!"  Ana growled, a hidden vexation fueling her sharp outburst.

                Will and Elizabeth stared at her in open-mouthed shock to which she simply glared at the sea.  Will turned to Gibbs for an explanation.  The old sailor shrugged and leaned close so as not to be overheard.

                "I think she's a bit roiled; don' let 'er git to you."

                "Roiled about what?  What happened?"  Will questioned in utter confusion.  "Do you know what happened to Jack's body?"

                "'e's sittin' in 'is cabin, tha's what."

                Elizabeth's brow furrowed, her mind sorting through the events of the hanging that would explain such a fact.  "That's impossible.  The last I saw of him, he was hanging at the end of a noose."

                "Well, by some act o' God, he's alive an' well."

                Ana snorted in tainted amusement at Gibbs' comment.  "I wouldn' call 'im 'well', he's not himself."

                "How is he even _alive_?!"  Will yelled in frustration, his annoyance with being left out on the secret showing itself in his tone of voice.

                "Not sure lad, but you know how stubborn Jack is."

                "Even so, I've not heard of someone being hung and living to tell of it!"

                "Ana, Gibbs!"  An angry voice boomed from behind the group, followed by irritated if not hesitant footsteps.

                The pirates, as well as Will and Elizabeth, turned to face the vexed captain.

                "Wha' is this?!"  Jack demanded, anger burning in his otherwise flat eyes.  The bruise encompassing his neck was still prominent, but seemed to be healing at an abnormally fast pace.

                "Jack!"  Elizabeth exclaimed happily, rushing forward with arms spread, prepared to draw the pirate into a hug.

                Before she could execute her intention, she was met by the back of a calloused hand colliding with her tender cheek, sending her careening to her side on the deck.  Will's sword was unsheathed in a second, instinct adding to the speed of the action.  Realizing who he had just drawn against, Will returned his sword to its scabbard and instead rushed to Elizabeth's side instead, gently taking hold of her arm and helping her to his feet.

                "What was the meaning of that!?"  Will demanded, anger flaring up in his light brown eyes.

                "Sorry mate, but as much as I appreciate yer strumpet's concern," Jack hissed dangerously, stressing the last, but his tone showing he didn't believe the words he spoke, "there's other business t' tend t'."

                "Like what?"

                "Let's just say I've got a few scores t' settle."  Jack replied indifferently, his eyes betraying his true feelings.  "Savvy?"

[a/n:  Please review.  I love y'all for giving me as many as I have!]


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

                Ana flinched at the raggedness with which he voiced his trademark word.  There was definitely something wrong.

                "Wha's th' matter, wench?"  Jack drawled casually, his eyes contrarily hard.

                Ana's eyes sparked at the use of the derogative word in reference to her, but remained silent, clenching her jaw agitatedly.

                '_Did you see that, Jack?_'

                '_See wha'?_'

                '_That spark in her eyes…doesn't it seem dangerously familiar?_'

                Jack's mind shot back in time to the looks he had received from his crew—his supposed friends—right before they marooned him the first time and he felt a gentle throbbing from the twin, ancient bullet wounds in his right shoulder.  A fearful rage rose within him, survival instinct instating itself.

                '_Don't let it happen again._'

                Jack's fingers twitched and a moment later, his sword was drawn, gleaming smartly in the intense Caribbean sunlight.  He advanced towards Will, carrying himself like a wolf approaching its prey:  slow step by step, eyes never leaving their target.

                "Jack…what're you doing?"  Will asked a measure of uncertainty in his voice.

                Elizabeth wisely moved off, still shaken from her visit with the deck, to stand beside Gibbs and Ana.  The three, as well as a good majority of the crew, watched in hesitant fascination as Will drew his sword wearily and the two began circling.

                "Jack, what's this about?"

                Jack's eyes gleamed with a feral light.  "Ye come aboard my ship wit'out permission and ye're askin' what this is about?"  The words were followed instantly with an unexpected attack, which Will scrambled to deflect but was too late, receiving a slice across his left upper arm as payment.

                The attacks continued with unequaled fervor, knocking aside Will's defenses as fast as he could place them.  In their previous fight in the forge, Jack had been a worthy adversary indeed, but never in their past had Will ever known him to be so focused on a task.  Not even when exacting revenge on Barbossa had he been so zealous with his actions.

                "Jack—Cap'n, knock it off!"  Ana called, fearing for the blacksmith's safety.  True, Jack wasn't the best swordsman in the Caribbean, Will by far surpassed him, but the lust for some unknown outcome he possessed made his skill rise to exceed that of the younger man.

                Jack ignored the plea, continuing to thrust, slice, and hack at the blacksmith and not giving the other a chance to score a hit.  Jack was at his peak and his stamina could not be matched.

                Slowly but surely, Jack managed to back Will all the way across the _Pearl_'s main deck and to the stairs leading to the quarterdeck.  Will's energy was waning, having taken many hits from the pirate, but holding back with his strikes; the last thing he wanted to do was cause his friend harm.

                Ana half-growled, half-sighed and drew her cutlass.

                "What're you doing?"  Elizabeth asked quickly.

                "'m goin' in there…he's my cap'n after all."

                The entrance of another blade to the skirmish took Jack by surprise, but he recovered quickly, scoring more hits to Will while defending himself from Ana's controlled blows.

                "Jack stop, this is madness!"  Ana hissed, jabbing for his right forearm, but missing as his blade met hers.

                "Madness, now where 'ave I heard that before…oh yes…" Jack returned vehemently, backing and bringing his blade in an arc, scoring a long slice across her collarbone.

                Ana backed quickly, pressing her free arm to the freely bleeding cut and glaring at Jack, who grinned without a hint of amusement.  No, the look in his eyes was one of a man seeking his slow revenge and enjoying every drop of blood doing so derived.

                Will locked eyes with Ana, silently inquiring as to her condition.  She nodded the movement barely visible, her eyes begging for him to end this; one way or another.  With an equally short nod and painful regret gleaming in his eyes, Will silently approached the pirate captain from behind, sword raised for a deathblow.

[A/n:  Sorry to end it there, but I figured, heck, this is as good a place as any, ne?  Please review.]


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 16

                Bringing his sword down, preparing for the jarring feel of steel slicing through flesh and bone, Will was caught off guard as his sword was intercepted by another blade.  He looked up and saw that Ana was the one who had stopped his attack.  In return for her favor, the hilt of Jack's sword dropped and contacted the back of her head powerfully, making her crumple to the deck, motionless.

                Everyone present stared blankly down at the subdued female, even Jack paused to consider the circumstance.

                '_You did what you had to, Jack,_' the voice piped up, sensing his sudden flood of guilt and love for Ana taking hold.

                '_I didn't have to…not like that._'

                '_Oh but you did.  If you hadn't, she would have led your crew in a mutiny…and you'd be back on that tiny little island alone and dying with no one to save you._'

                '_S'not true…_'

                '_Jack, stop fighting the truth.  No matter what you want to believe, the truth is never kind._'

                Jack stared down at Ana's still form, remorse for his actions filling him and bringing life back to his empty eyes.

                '_Jack, no.  Feeling pity for that terrible creature will seal your doom.  Finish her._'

                Jack's eyes flashed, and then dropped to their monotonous coloring once more as he raised his blade, aiming the tip down at Ana's exposed neck.

                "What're doing?!  Jack, _stop_!"  Elizabeth exclaimed, fear for all their safety empowering her to speak against the seemingly mad pirate.

                Jack looked up suddenly, the beads framing his face bouncing with the action and his dull eyes searching the crowd around him.

                '_Ignore her, Jack.  Fulfill your destiny; start by destroying those who betrayed you.  Embellish the legend._'

                Jack returned his concentration to the woman as his feet and he lowered the blade's tip to rest lightly on the tender flesh.

                "Jack, don't…you don't want to do this," Will pleaded, sheathing his sword in an attempt to show himself a friend and not a foe.

                '_He's wrong; you _have_ to do this!_'

                "Yes I do."  Jack repeated, his voice both his and not his.

                Will backed a step.  "Alright, but just do what's right for you…the _real_ you."

                Jack's eyes widened and returned to their normal state as the simple words sent him reeling through the past until his mind found the occasion when they were first uttered…

~*~

                _"Bill, what're you doing in here so late at night?"_

_                Bootstrap stepped into the grand cabin, unconsciously worrying his hat which he held in front of him.  He made no move to answer._

_                "Well?  Answer man!"  Jack demanded playfully, leaning back in his chair and putting his feet up on the table._

_                "The crew's gonna mutiny Jack…tonight from the sound of it."_

_                Jack's chair clattered back down to all fours and he leapt from its comfort.  "Mutiny?!"_

_                Bootstrap nodded solemnly.  "I know you don't like it, but know I'll have no part in it-"_

_                Before Bootstrap could finish, the cabin door was shoved open with a flourish and several crewmen entered, all well armed.  Jack drew his cutlass, instantly falling into a guard position._

_                Barbossa was the last to enter.  He chuckled and drew his pistol, aiming for Jack's sword hand.  With a single shot, the blade clattered to the floor and Jack held his hand that had been grazed with the bullet.  Jack glared at his first mate even as he was seized by the arms and had his hands bound roughly behind him._

_                "Bloody, mutinous-"_

_                "Jack, no."  Bootstrap interrupted, his hands also bound.  "Just do what's right for you…the _real_ you."_

~*~

                Jack's arm swung around and the cutlass clattered to the deck, missing Ana completely.  His hands flew to embrace his head, the fingers entwining in the dreads of hair.

                '_Jack, what're you letting your emotions do!?  Pick up that sword and finish it.  Finish it all!_'

                "No!"  Jack screamed madly, pulling on his hair as he sank to his knees.

                All on deck were now watching intently and Ana began to stir, only to find herself facing a madman.

                '_Give up Jack, you're _mine_._'

                "Shut up!  I don' belong t' no one!"  Jack snarled his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

                "Jack, what's wrong?"  Ana asked somewhat hazily.

                Jack simply gritted his teeth and let out a feral cry, fighting with the voice for control.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

                "Ana, get out of there," Will warned quietly.  Before he had even finished, Ana was by his side, rubbing the back of her head lightly.

                '_Jack, don't fight me.  You _do _belong to me…I saved you, now obey me!_'

                '_No!_'

                '_Yes Jack, destroy them…they are your enemies, not your friends.  You have no friends; they abandoned you after you betrayed them.  Remember what happened?_'  The voice's final scramble for control unleashed all the pent-up memories Jack had suppressed over the years, overwhelming the pirate's mind.  With a final squeal of rage, Jack dropped to the deck, all mobility having left him.

                Ana stepped forward hesitantly, being sure to kick Jack's sword well out of reach, just in case.  She kneeled by Jacks side cautiously, keeping a hand by the hilt of the knife hidden in her boot.  "Jack, you alright?"

                No response.

                Ana gently wedged her fingers between Jack's shoulder and the deck and dragged him over to rest on his side.  His body moved with the sluggish weight of a corpse, showing no resistance—or acknowledgement—of her touch.  His dark hair cascaded down and covered his face.

                "Jack, wake up," Ana said loudly, but gently, giving his shoulder a light shake.

                Still no response.

                "C'mon lad," Gibbs chimed in somewhat nervously, joining Ana at Jack's side.

                Ana tugged on Jack's shoulder once more and rolled him onto his back.  His eyes were closed and his breathing steady, indicating his comatose state.

                "Probably fer th' better 'fore he hurt 'imself—or us—further."  Gibbs muttered, watching Ana's stoic face for her reaction.

                Ana glared heartlessly down at the unconscious pirate captain, a single thought running through her head but meant solely for Jack.  '_Ye best win; finish it…one way or th' other._'

~*~

                '_What d'you want from me?_'  Jack asked bluntly, glaring into the now-familiar fog-enclosed clearing.  '_If ye're gonna be demandin' me t' kill my friends, at least let me know who ya are._'

                The memorable, spine-tingling chuckle bounced from the fog and surrounded him on an unfelt breeze, but forcing him to make himself as small as possible all the same before vanishing.  Jack however, would not be so easily defeated.  '_'nough with the little mind tricks, show yerself!_'

                '_Now really Jack, who are you to be ordering me?_'    

                '_Well, this _is_ my turf as it were-_'

                'Was _your territory.  You belong to me now...did you forget already?_'

                '_I ne'er belonged t' you!_'  Jack's mind voice snarled hotly.

                '_I beg to differ.  There will be a punishment for your insolence!_'

                '_Like wha—arack!_'  Jack's retort died and was transformed into a cry of pain as the delicate needles of fire-energy once again lent their power to the task of taming the pirate.  They jabbed hastily into his skin, and then slowly began to dig their way deeper and deeper into his body.  As their task drew itself out, the pain was amplified a hundred-fold.

                Jack yelped and writhed, trying desperately to escape and to prevent his cruelty from his friends from recurring.

                '_Stop struggling Jack.  You're only making it worse, stubborn pirate._'

                '_Stubbornness is…my specialty…_' Jack managed weakly through gritted teeth, his cocked grin slowly appearing.

                The fog flared red and twitched in irritation, then decided itself.  Swirling down in a flash, it drew into a feminine figure.  Her raven hair, deathly pale skin, and plain black dress were constantly shifting, never staying in one shape at a time.

                '_'bout…time,_' as Jack finished his statement, his strength drained from him completely, leaving him struggling to keep his eyes open, while he allowed his arms, legs, and head to fall limp.

                'Enough!!'

                The spines disappeared as they had before, the time leaving their scars on the pirate's body.  Jack was dropped to the ground, half-conscious and drawing hoarse breaths.  He flopped a bit, trying to draw his feet beneath him and stand, but having no success.  As fatigue took its toll, he laid still, his weight focused on his forearms and hip, just grateful to be breathing.

                '_I can't be destroying my property just as it has been broken._'

                Jack remained unresponsive to her, but still clearly aware.

                '_Get up, Jack.  Get up and finish your job!_'

                When the pirate didn't even acknowledge her, fog tentacles stretched from the base of her dress and gently lifted Jack by the arms so he was hanging off the ground.  His hair fell over his face, hiding his eyes from her as he didn't have the strength to raise his head.

                The woman glided forward on the air, stretched out her hand and placed it beneath Jack's chin.  She lightly lifted his head to meet her eyes, her touch sending a sensation of both fire and ice coursing through his blood.  '_Obey me, Jack._'

[a/n:  Please review, it means a lot to me.]


	17. Chapter 17 Fin

Chapter 17

Still, the pirate did not answer her, drawing out the silence and her patience.

'_Well, answer me._'

Jack remained unmoving and silent, staring blankly into her reddish eyes.

'_Fine,_' the woman growled dangerously, letting his head drop. She then brought her hand back and forward, sending his head lolling off to the side while the sound of the impact echoed.

Still Jack didn't make a sound; he simply took the punishment as it came without reacting.

'_Speak to me, _slave.' The woman hissed vilely, bending down so her face was just inches from his.

Slowly, determinedly, Jack's head raised until his eyes locked onto hers. There was something mysterious and fiery in his eyes; they were burning with a renewed passion and vigor that made the woman back a step. '_'m not a slave t' anyone._'

The woman took in a sharp breath, realizing that she could no longer manipulate him and get the desired results. Her surprise was soon replaced by a coy grin of dissatisfaction, a strong contradiction to her words. '_Very well, Jack. I knew you were strong but you've proven yourself beyond argument._'

'_Thi' was a _test_?!_'

'_More or less. But now I truly see you for who you are. Take this._'

Jack dropped lightly to the ground as his bonds loosened enough for him to slip free. Looking into her outstretched hand he saw a small, simply carved talisman of stone. He tenderly took the charm into his own hand and examined the design, tracing it with one finger.

'_It's my symbol. Keep it or sell it, but never forget it. It may come in handy someday._'

Jack watched in slight disorientation as the woman vanished in a cloud of evaporating mist in the blink of an eye, leaving him alone in his mind once more.

Ana sat beside Jack's bed, hands in her lap and stared blankly ahead. Will and Elizabeth were below talking with Gibbs while Will's cuts from the fight were being tended. Jack lay still and silent on the bed before her.

"Come on, Jack. Ye gotta fight it…bloody stubborn pirate," Ana mumbled mindlessly, wishing she could somehow help Jack win his internal struggle.

"No need t'…tell me tha'…luv," Jack muttered weakly, his eyes still closed.

"Jack?" Ana asked wearily, still not sure if it was really him.

"Don' worry, Ana; s'me."

"Open yer eyes."

"Tired,"

"Open yer eyes," Ana repeated with her voice catching slightly from her conflicting emotions.

A dull sigh passed through Jack's lips and Ana looked down expectantly. "Well?"

Unable to think of any other way to convince her, Jack forced his eyes open. The lids seemed heavy and uncooperative and only slid open a miniscule crack. Ana smiled genuinely at seeing his normal, life-sparked eyes with the chocolate fire burning just under the surface. The fire was abnormally dull, affected by the fatigue from recent events.

She leaned down slowly before lightly brushing her lips against his. His hand shakily snaked up and caressed her cheek, drawing her into a deeper kiss.

Without warning, Jack drew back as doubt flitted through his mind, a frown of miscomprehension on his face.

"Wha's wrong?"

"'m so sorry, Ana," Jack whispered, his fingers having found the fresh gash on her cheek. "'m such a bloody idiot t' let her get into my head like that."

At this, Ana too drew away and her eyebrow rose skeptically. "Let who get in yer head?"

"'m not really sure…but she gave me this," he answered, reaching into the sash around his waist and carefully drawing out a cord with a pendant dangling from it.

Ana's brow creased in concentration as she reached out, silently requesting to hold it. Jack let the necklace slip from his fingers and into her palm like sand through an hourglass. She brought it close to her face and examined the markings.

"Wha' is it?"

"I don't rightly know, but I'll keep it all th' same." Jack decided, taking the string and its burden back from the female pirate. "But whoe'er she was, I'm sorry for believin' her. By doin' so I hurt you an' Will."

"S'not yer fault-"

"Yes it is. I didn't have t' believe her but I did. And it may have cost me." The last was more of an inquiry than a statement, but Ana ignored it.

"Wha' did she tell ye?"

Jack sighed. "Does it really matter? Th' point is I was stupid and believed her lies, thereby hurting…the ones I love."

Ana recovered quickly from the blatant show of emotion on Jack's part, not wanting to embarrass him. "Wha' was she tellin' ye?"

"I'm sorry I betrayed you an' th' crew. Same wit Will and Elizabeth. Ye're all good people…sorry yer tangled up wit' the likes o' me."

"Well I'm not. Yer a good man Jack an' ye didn't betray us."

"Yes I did. I left ya all in Tortuga with nary a warnin' or a shilling. S'not right."

Ana smiled lightly and settled herself on the mattress beside him while he shifted to afford her more room. She wrapped her arms gently around his shoulders and pulled him close to her. "Jack, we knew you had business t' tend to…you always do. There's plenty o' loot on the ship at all times, so no worries there. You didn' betray us." She said gently, reveling in the feel of his body against hers. She still sensed tension in his muscles. "Wha' else?"

"Some fears die hard, luv, but tha's fer another time."

"Alright Jack, relax. You can tell me later."

Jack sighed contentedly and settled himself against her, resting his head on her shoulder and allowing his eyes to fall shut. As he slipped into a long-needed restful sleep, a single phrase filtered into his mind.

"_Welcome back, Cap'n._"

_Fin_

[a/n: Firstly, I would like to take a moment and thank everyone for the copious reviews I have received. I really appreciate it, and am going to respond to those who reviewed the last chapter here:

_pirate grlEe_: Well, this was the last chapter…hope you enjoyed the story! I will keep writing, as I have an idea for a sequel to this story.

_Otherhawk_: Real life, what a curse, ne? XD Well, I totally understand that real life has this terrible habit of interfering with our fun time. Glad you like how the story was going. Thanks for dropping the review.

_jackfan2_: Sorry, mate, couldn't wait. ;) hands dagger over You know my saying on what to do when things go bad…eheheh. And no, sorry mate, s'not the _Pearl_. Good guess though. All will be revealed in due time. Thanks for being such a faithful reviewer!

_bittersweet46_: You don't sound 5 years old! I LOVE that movie too! And you are a good character comparison person! gives cookie Thanks for reviewing.

Secondly, please review. I had fun writing this and can only hope you enjoyed reading it. Please tell me what you liked/disliked and/or what you would have preferred to be done differently. Thanks all! Also, be on the watch for the sequel to this story…it's right around the corner!]


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